Last project of 2008!

Wow, it's almost Christmas, huzzah!  

Here's a look at the finished blanket for my co-worker:

Here's a closer detail of the of the corner of the blanket so you can see the border:

I managed to get it completed Thursday night (due to some work drama that had me wanting to get it finished in time to give to my coworker).  

She loved the blanket!  I had to guess on the colors to use, because it would have been really obvious if I had started asking her about what colors she likes--but it turns out I chose well.  Turquoise is her favorite color, so yay me!  Also, we just got a lovely cold front in last night so she was really looking forward to curling up with it today.  

I am really happy with how this blanket turned out and I think that I am going to make this pattern/style my default blanket unless there is a specific pattern I want to try out.  With the endless variations of colors available this could give me lots of blanket-making possibilities.

Anyhoo, I am officially taking the rest of the year off for any projects.  I have the rest of that baby yarn I want to wind up into balls (then I will use the leftovers for another baby blanket in January), but other than that I am just going to chill, methinks. 

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Enjoy!  

C

On to the next one.

Yay!  I've finished with the baby blankets and moved on to my next project.  This one is a Christmas present for my co-worker.  

This is a pretty easy project, and I am really pleased with how it's working up so far.  I hope to get it done by next weekend, Monday night at the latest.  

The blanket is just one big granny square.  But the twist is that I am using two strands of yarn at once.  I am making it in black and turquoise, using a size K hook.

It is turning out as a nice solid thick blanket, which is exactly what I hoped for.  And the double strand effect looks really spiffy.  

Here are a few shots so you can see:

Also, since my co-worker has a cat, Wally has taken it upon himself to test-drive the blanket for Skittles.  I think he approves:

And yes, rest assured, I will be washing this before it goes to its new owner.  

Anyhoo, hope all is well with you guys.  Have a great week!

C

Done!

Yay!  I have finished the baby blankets!  

Here's what the yellow one looks like:

Here is what the "nametags" ended up looking like (forgive the horrid lighting in this photo):

And then here's a nametag attached to the blanket itself:

So, hoorah!  Tomorrow night I'll wash and wrap them and then Tuesday they'll head off to their new homes.  

So glad to have that behind me.  

Now I can get started on the Christmas present blanket...sigh, a crocheter's work is never done.  

(And don't you know I kind of love it that way?)

Well, until next time, toodles,

C

Quickly becoming an exercise in frustration...

I am posting today because I am hoping to get up tomorrow and, after a quick round of Christmas shopping (online of course--I am not entirely sure how I existed before I discovered the internet) with my hubby, dive right into finishing up this baby blanket project.  Crochet all day!  (With some laundry and meals thrown in.)

Here's a status report.  

Right now I have the two green blankets completely done except for the baby "name tags."  You can see them below:

I would like to note that right now they are just folded up (rather clumsily) awaiting finishing and washing.  They will be presented in a much more pretty fashion when they are given to the recipient.  

As of last night I have all of the squares for the third blanket completed, as well:

They just need to be assembled and bordered.  

Then I can do the "name tags" I mentioned earlier.  I think I am going to make small blue rectangles in single crochet and embroider the names on each, then sew the "tags" to the center of the solid square in the bottom right corner of each blanket.  I think it will look alright, but we shall have to see, won't we?

As you might have guessed from the title of my post, this project has started to become something of a chore.  While I am more than happy to be making these for my friend, I think three is just too many to do at one time for someone.  So, lesson learned for me, I guess.  She's already "planning" the next round of blankets she wants me to do for her, as well as some purses, but I may just have to say no on those, at least for a while.  I have too many other projects of my own I would really like to work on, and as I crochet for enjoyment and relaxation, I am not looking forward to doing anything else on commission for a bit.  

Sadly, I think it if had stopped at one blanket, or even two, it would be a different story.  Sigh. 

Anyhoo, that's not really the most frustrating thing about this project.  That would be the yarn.  I have been using Red Heart Soft Baby Steps.  While I like the yarn itself, I am not going to recommend it.  Unless you are the kind of person who unwinds every skein before you start a project, in which case, you probably won't have any issues.  

I would say literally 2/3 of the skeins I have used have resulted in some huge tangle halfway through a square that has bogged me down and ticked me off to no end.  I gave my poor cat a heart attack last night when I screamed in frustration at the latest snag.   And you would think I would have learned to just unwind each skein before I start using it, right?  That would be a negative.  I have a stubborn streak a mile wide, and a sense of impatience led on by the time crunch of three blankets on a deadline, that apparenlty won't let me do something so sensible (and probably time-saving in the end).  So yeah.  This yarn is driving me batty.  On the plus side, pretty much almost done with it.  So, yay.  

I think part of it is that I very rarely have these issues with Red Heart, and so I keep thinking, oh it's just this skein.  But no, it's really not.  Though my adopted sis and fellow crocheter, K, pointed out she had a similar problem with Red Heart Soft in the past.  So it could just be this particular brand of yarn I guess.

Also, this is making me very much look forward to the ball winder I have been promised for Christmas.  Can't wait.

But I am determined to get these blankets finished up by Monday evening so they can be delivered on Tuesday and then I can start on my next project, the blanket I am making as a Christmas present.  It is going to basically be just a big granny square, so I am hopeful that it should be quick and easy and the opposite of frustrating. 

Then at the start of the year I am actually going to get started on those sweaters, I swear. 

Well, until next time, I wish you all well!

Peace, 

C